Portable electric steam radiator



Dec. 7,. 1948. MALICKSQN 2,455,688

PORTABLE ELECTRIC STEAM RADIATOR Filed Feb. 11, 1947 3 Shets-Sheet 1 It 2 5 i v INVENTOR. Philip. 5. Ma/l'ckson K1 y R I z AZTQ'RNEY Dec. 7, 1948. P. s. MALICKSON PORTABLE ELECTRIC STEAM RADIATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4'.

Filed Feb. 11, 1947 B A B .n Y R0 ms .M MK R V c m w. Na A S .mlv MB P 1948- I P. s. MALICKSON 2,455,688

PORT ABLE ELECTRIC STEAM RADIATOR Filed Feb. 11, 1947 3 SheetsSheet 3 E F 19.6 Ma

Jnnentor Phili 5. Malia/{son 2; 2 "Gttorueg Patented Dec. 7, 1948 PORTABLE ELEcTmc STEAM RADIATOR Philip S. Malickson, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Sentry Safety Control Corp., a. corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 11, 1947, Serial No. 727,927

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to a portable radiator,

electrically heated to create steam, whereby an office or a room in a home may be heated.

Heretofore, electric and gas heaters have been used in the home for warming chilly rooms and for supplementing the regular heating system. These prior art heaters, employing an exposed electric heating coil, or an open flame have a tendency to make the air extremely dry and irritating to the nasal passages. Frequently, too, they use needed oxygen and they impart a peculiar burned odor to the air which is not pleasant. It can be realized that the open flame, and the glowing resistance element are fire hazards, and may burn anyone coming in therewith.

A steam radiator provides a more gradual and uniform supply of heat, and if it can be made portable, is a better solution to the problem. Efforts have been made to use electricity for heating portable steam radiators, and have proved successful, except for the expensive construction employed.

It is an object of my invention to provide an electric-steam radiator which is inexpensively constructed from steel stampings.

Another object of my invention is to provide an electric-steam radiator whose heat capacity can be increased by increasing the number of stamped sections comprising the unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a safe portable steam radiator having no dangerously hot parts or exposed sharp edges, and which is light enough to carry from room to room.

Another object of my invention is to provide a radiator comprised of individual sections bolted together to form a water-tight and a steam-tight unit.

A further object of my invention is to embody in a portable electric steam radiator a tell-tale indicator to show when the device is operating.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efficient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more-fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a portable steam radiator embodying my invention.

contact 2 Fig.2 is an end elevational view thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 1.

'Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View of the preferred embodiment of my invention wherein each radiator section isformed from a pair of complementary male and female stampings.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side section showing the water-tight joint between the adjacent radiator sections.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side section of the lower portion of the radiator-showing the heating element, and a concentric perforated tube whose end caps also serve to compress the radia tor sections togethen' Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts, I show a portable radiator which has an electric heating coil therein and which may be used safely in the home as well as in such places as the bathroom, bedroom, recreation room, nursery, etc, and which will provide heat that does not absorb an excessive amount of oxygen or moisture from the air, which will emit no noxious odors, and wherein no sharp edges or dangerous parts are exposed.

The radiator comprises a plurality of adjacent hollow sections, generally designated as A, wherein water and steam are held. Each section is formed from a pair of complementary and identical steel stampings l0, l2. Each stamping has a vertical surface l3 with two dished flanges BA and [313 having openings therein, and projecting outwardly on one side near the top and bottom, respectively. The edge I3C of the surface [3 is turned horizontally so as to form a hollow surface on the surface l3. The edge of the radiator section A is turned again to extend vertically a short distance l3D, whereby the radiator sections may be welded together, and the outermost edge portion I3E of the radiator is doubled zontally so that one cannot be injured by falling against the radiator.

The heating element consists of a coiled wire or ribbon 22 of electrical resistance metal, such as nickel-chrome alloy, stretched back and forth upon ceramic spacers 24 within a closed metal cylinder 26. This cylinder extends through the lower flange I3B of each of the sections A.

In the preferred construction shown in Fig. 6, the two stampings I5 and i6 make up each radiator section, generally designated as B, and these stampings are complementary to one but not identical; The: malestamping [5 has. an upper, outwardly-extending flange A for steam to pass through to the adjacent radiator sections, and for a clamping rod to pass through. Another out-- Hardly-extending flange 15B is located in thelower portion of the stamping I5. The heating coil cylinder 26 extends through a metal retainer 28 and the perforated pipe 30-. The flange 15B also permits Water to pass between the adjacent radiator sections B. The female stamping [6 has inwardly-extending flanges 11A and NB located at its top and bottom, respectively, which flanges are adapted to receive the male flanges [5A and I5B, respectively, of the adjacent stamping [5. The peripheral edges of these stampings are identical to the edges of the stampings [3, shown in Fig. 3,. inthat the edge is first turned horizontally away from the flanged side, then vertically a short distance, and finally back upon its horizontal portion. The vertical portions of theedge. of each stamping l5, l-li form suriaces 'at whichv the adjoining stampings are welded to.- gether, and the horizontally-extending extreme edges provide a safe exterior-for the radiator.

' When the preferred: radiator sections- 3B v are assembled together, fiatsealing gaskets l8 are. placed between the complementary flanges. HA HA and. IEB', [7B, of the. adjacent sections. A long,- 'bolt- 20= passes, axially throughthe upper: flanges. and compresses the sections B and the: seals. l8 together.)

The heating coil 26 extends through the lower annular; flanges ofthe, radiator sectionsB. The heating coil: jacket 28, as shown in Fig. 8, has a flange29 at one-end, and its lengthis encased in a perforated tube 30,.Which. also hasv alfiange 32 at one end and isthreaded at its other end. The flanged ends of the; jackets 28 and 30are bolted toone'end' section with seals |-8 interposed for a water-tight and steam-tight. joint. Afiller cap- 36*screWs' onto the threaded end' of theperforated jacket 30' and its flanged edge is. boltedto the other end section through-a seal [8. The open.- ing' of the filler cap is level with the top, of the perforated jacket 3-0; so that. theradiator car-1 be: filled with Water only to the level consistent. with rapid heating andeflicient steam generation. A

conventional plug 38 closes the filler capopening.

The number of radiator sections. usedin mak-. ingjsup a radiator unit depends. upon-the size oftheroom tobe heated; for example, the-radiator: for: heating a large area is composed of many more: sections than a radiator'usedfor heating a smallispace.

In operation, current is supplied to the heating coil,v causing it to glow at a. red. heat. The heat is transmitted through the surrounding metal jacket 28* to thewater, in the bottom of eachsection, generating steam. The rising steam-imparts its heat to the. radiator walls and: falls condensed back into thewater below. It can be seen that the heating coil is entirely protected, and th transfer of heat to the airis. accomplished through several. successive steps making for a gradual and uniform heat dissipation.

The ends sections 34 and 35 of each radiator section differs from the inner sections In, I2 or l5, IS, in that they are formed with leg extensions 44, and are provided with tapped holes to receive the flange bolts.

The integrally formed legs on the radiator legs prevent the unit from falling if it becomes necessary to replace the heating coil.

A safety valve 46 is fitted into one end section near the top, and prevents dangerous pressures from being generated within the radiator. Actually the heating coil is of such wattage dissipation that with the normal heat radiation from the radiator Walls itis almost impossible to generate a high steam pressure. Actually the radiator will function without Water, and even if the device should bev dry there will be no danger in its operation. In this case, of course, the heat is transmitted to the radiator walls mainly by conduction, and the enclosed air, and the efficiency is not. asgreat as. when the radiator is heated by convection currents of steam.

The electrical connections C to the heating coil arebrought outthroughthe flanged end of jacket 28,, and have a tell-tale indicator 48, such; as a red glow lamp, bridged across them, so that the indicator glows when the radiator is operating.

A-v carrying handle 50, made from iron rod or strap iron, and fitted with an insulated handle,

is attached to the completed radiator.

Although my invention hasbeen described in considerable. detail, such description is. intended. as being illustrative rather. than limiting, since theinvgention may be. variously embodied, and the. scope of the invention. is to be determined v as claimed.

I claim as my invention:.

A. portable. electrically-heated steam. radiator comprising complementary stampings whichform. radiator. sections, theedgesof said sections turned" so as to present nov exposed sharp edges, means for holding said sections together, means. for circulating steam and water through said sections, an. electricheating element in the. base of: said radiator for the purpose of. heating said water, a carrying handle integrally formed with. said radiator, means to indicate when the electric heating element is energized, means for preventing.

and. for safeguarding against the development. of. excessive steam pressure within. the radiator. sections,. and. said. complementary stampings of said radiator. sectionsv being. nonidentical', one of. said sections having. an outwardly extending flange and its. adjacent. sectionhaving, an inwardly extending flange, said flanges of adjacent sections interfitting with one another.

PHILIP S. MALICKSON.

REFERENiJES GI-TED The following references are of recordin the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,667,357 Pickering et al Apr. 24, 1928' 1 ,793,005 Oatway Feb. 17, 1931. 2,266,016 Fisher Dec. 16, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS- Number Country Date- 202,668 Switzerland May'l', 1-939 

